Memrory Scripture

And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”
(Genesis 3:8,9)

Divine revelation is the thread that connects the Bible’s story, showing how God gradually reveals Himself to humanity.

DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READINGS

Mon. 19: Record Of The Burning Bush Experience (Exo.3:1-6)
Tue. 20: Record Of Revelation Of God’s Glory (Exo.33:14-23)
Wed. 21: Record Of Solomon’s Divine Encounter (2 Chr. 1:7)
Thu.22: Record Of Another Divine Appearance (Jer. 31:31)
Fri. 23: Real Appearance Of God To Israel (Num. 16:16-35)
Sat. 24: Record Of Divine Appearance In Shiloh (1 Sam.3:19-21)

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Without God’s revelations, the Bible wouldn’t be as inspiring, reliable, or complete as we know it today.

INTRODUCTION

TEXTUAL SOURCES: GenEsIs 3:8,9; 18:1-31; 28:12-22; ISAIAH 6:1-3; DANIEL: 3:23-30; MATTHEW 17:1-5; JOHN 4:6-29; ACTS 9:3-6; HEBREW 1:1-3

We thank God for giving us another chance to join this new series of Sunday school lessons. We pray that God gives us fresh understanding and the strength to live for Him this New Year, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

In the last lesson, which was the first in this series, we learnt about the meaning and structure of the Bible. Today’s lesson is
titled: Divine Revelations That Shape The Bible. We will look at some of the ways God has personally revealed Himself to people and how these moments have shaped the stories and teachings
in the Bible.

It is clear that God loves to reveal Himself and share what He wants us to know. This shows His kindness and love for us. God
has never left us clueless about who He is, or what we need to know to live well. This lesson will discuss some of these divine
revelations and their role in shaping the Bible we have today.

LESSON OUTLINE

1. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
2. IN THE NEWTESTAMENT

LESSON EXPOSITION

IN THE OLD TESTAMENT (Gen. 3:8, 9; 18:1-33; 28:12-22; Isa.6:1-13;Dan.3:23-30)

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden
(Gen.3.8)

a) Gen. 3:8,9: Divine revelation is God showing Himself to limited, sinful humans-His nature, actions and will. His view on sin was first revealed here and written for our instruction (1 Cor. 10:11).

b) 12:7; 17:1f; 18:1-3: Abraham experienced repeated visits from God, leading to life-changing moments that shaped his story andthe entire human race.

c) One of these is known as theophany- a moment where God appears in a physical form (Gen. 18:1-3; Heb. 13:2). These
experiences make God’s presence clear to us.

d) 28:12-22: God introduced Himself to Jacob in a dream, confirming His covenant and making Jacob part of the promise given to Abraham. This story continues to inspire generations.

e) Isa. 6:1-13: Isaiah saw God on His throne. Realising his own unfitness, he was divinely cleansed and made ready to serve God. Divine encounters inspire us to be fully committed to God’s work.

f) Dan.3:23-30: Some divine revelations came through gentiles too. For example, Nebuchadnezzar saw a fourth person in the fiery furnace and recognised Him as God’s Son.

IN THE NEW TESTAMENT (Matt. 17:1-9; Jn. 4:6-29; Acts 9:3-6; Heb. 1:1-3)

God.. has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds
(Heb. 1:1-2).

a) Matt. 17:1-9: Jesus gave His disciples a glimpse of His heavenly glory during the Transfiguration. This showed His divine nature and connection to God the Father,
confirming Him as the bringer of the New Covenant (2 Pet.1:17-20).

b) Jn. 4:6-29: This storv shows Jesus as the Messiah. The Samaritan woman, who was waiting for the Messiah, realised He was already there, speaking directly to her. This momentis a vital part of the Bible’s message.

c ) Acts 9:3-6: Paul here had the first-hand encounter with the Lord, which rewrote his own story, that of Christ’s Church and the Christendom entirely.

d) Heb. 1:1-3: This shows that Jesus Christ reflects God the Father perfectly. We don’t need to see the Father in person because the Father is in the Son, and the Son is in the person (Jn. 1:14; 10:30; 14:8-11). Jesus reveals God to us in the New Testament.

LESSONS DERIVED

1. Personal revelation of God in the Old Testament gives inspiration and authority to the Scripture.
2. The revelation of God in the New Testament through Jesus Christ fulfils the Old Testament. Both Testaments are inspired.

QUESTIONS

1. State some of the impacts of divine revelations in the Old Testament.
2. Jesus is the personal revelation of God in the New Testament. Explain.